Diabetes and teen drug abuse – A deadly mix

Consuming drug and alcohol can greatly affect the blood glucose level of someone with diabetes. The feeling or state of being on drugs or alcohol described by diabetes patients very closely resembles the feeling when their blood sugar levels are low. This feeling often leads people to be unaware of when their sugars are actually low and also affects their ability to treat low blood glucose levels. Here is the story of recovered a teen with diabetes who despite the lethal repercussions of teen drug abuse continued to used until he overcame his addiction at Inspirations for Youth and Families.

The stress of growing can be a lot to bear for any teen and no matter how hard some try they can’t help but fall off the wagon. Growing up is one of the most exhilarating and scariest experiences of your life and it doesn’t matter if you had a hard upbringing or a normal one everyone has had moments growing up where the choices or situations of our life was too much to bear. Drug and alcohol addiction has a stigma of being done only by people who have been tormented or even abused which is not always the case.

The use of drugs or alcohol stems from wanting to escape the harsh reality of your world, and what each individual perceives as harsh or unbearable cannot be defined by any label or common situation. For teens the pressure of life and growing up is enough to crave an escape.

By the typical or common standards Cole seems like someone who would not have any problems or could not be an addict but like most teens he struggled with the transition from teen to adulthood and resorted to drugs and alcohol for an escape. Even with the dangers of having diabetes he continued to use until he realized that this behavior goes beyond an every now and again regimen and he sought help for addiction. With the help of his family he came to Inspirations for Youth and Families to receive treatment and is very pleased with the change he sees within himself as quoted here.

“I don’t need to use drugs or alcohol to kind of cope for the problems I have. There are people that are there for me and love me; there are healthier ways to do that. I don’t need to use anymore.”

Here is the excerpt from the interview:

Denise– Hi this is Denise Achee and I’m here with a young man who is going to be leaving today, you’ve been here for how many days?

Cole– 29.

Denise– Yeah! Would you like to share why you came to Inspirations?

Cole– Um, well I had a problem with drinking and smoking weed and it caused a lot of problems in my life and led me to kind of isolate myself from other people, my parents and friends. It was clear to me that I needed help and coming here really helped me.

Denise– And you also have a health issue?

Cole– Yeah I have diabetes.

Denise– So that together with alcohol could be lethal?

Cole– Very lethal and I understood that too and I just continued to use.

Denise– What’s changed for you now?

Cole– My outlook on life in the sense of I don’t need to use drugs or alcohol to kind of cope for the problems I have. There are people that are there for me and love me; there are healthier ways [to cope] to do that. I don’t need to use anymore.

Denise– So you realize now the implications. Do you feel like you have the coping skills so that you don’t relapse?

Cole– Yes I do and I just feel blessed and fortunate to have people there for me to help me along the way. It’s not just me.

Denise-It takes a whole family doesn’t it?

Cole-Yes it does, it takes everyone and I’m lucky enough to have that at home. I feel with them and with my strength I’ll be fine.

Denise– What about the therapist? Did you like the therapy?

Cole– Yes I had Safraz and he was great. He was always there for me and he really helped me out.

Denise– Cole you had really high academics and that’s something we wanted to keep you on while you’re here, did that work for you?

Cole– Yeah you guys did a great job. It was so easy while I was here.

Denise– We got your work and we were managing your academics from school, and you have several AP classes and you also put in a lot of determination here to catch back up and get back on track. Thank you we appreciate that! Well it’s been great having you here and to see how you have shifted and you do have a wonderful support system and your right it takes a family and I also think your family has put in the work needed when somebody is in recovery. We wish you the best of luck and hope that you will come back and visit us.

Cole– I’ll visit next time (laughs).

Denise– Yes visit next time (laughs) and of course when you graduate I’d love to see the pictures, so if you could send them I’d appreciate it. Have a safe trip back home and I wish you the best of luck.